Pelargonium plant named &#39;PACAMY&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Pacamy’, characterized by its uniformly mounding, rounded and cascading plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; purple violet semi-double flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACAMY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pacamy’.

The new Ivy Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous Ivy Geranium plants with uniform plant habit and numerous attractive semi-double flowers.

The new Ivy Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2009 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. The new Ivy Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ivy Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since December, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacamy’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacamy’ as a new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Uniformly mounding, rounded and cascading plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Purple violet semi-double flowers that are positioned above         and beyond the foliar plane.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant habit as plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium peltatum ‘Pennea’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application publication number 2002/0073470, now abandoned. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ from plants of ‘Pennea’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more rounded than and not         as cascading as plants of ‘Pennea’.     -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium are not as vigorous as plants         of ‘Pennea’.     -   3. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more densely foliated than         plants of ‘Pennea’.     -   4. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have smaller leaves than         plants of ‘Pennea’.     -   5. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have slightly smaller flowers         than plants of ‘Pennea’.     -   6. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have shorter peduncles than         plants of ‘Pennea’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Ivy Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacamy’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Ivy Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were pinched two times and were nine months old when the photograph and the detailed description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum ‘Pacamy’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Uniformly mounding, rounded and             cascading plant habit; densely foliated; moderately vigorous             growth habit and moderately rapid growth rate; freely basal             branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing             per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 55 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 50 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent.             Color: Close to 147B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Mostly opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 3 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Pointed.         -   Base.—Cordate; open to imbricate.         -   Margin.—Entire, lobed.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Sparsely pubescent along the veins.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation,             close to 146B. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Faint. Location:             About 2 cm from margin. Width: About 5 mm. Color: Close to             200A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent;             rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double rotate             flowers arranged in hemispherical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils; umbels displayed above and beyond the foliar             plane on strong peduncles; umbels and flowers face upright             to outwardly; freely flowering habit; about four flowers per             umbel and numerous umbels developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about four months after planting; in the garden in             Germany, flowering begins in May and continues until frost             in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Spindle-shaped. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About 23 in several whorls;             petals imbricate. Length: About 2.4 cm to 2.9 cm. Width:             About 1.7 cm to 1.9 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety; undulate. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 74A; towards the base,             close to 155D; venation, close to 59A; color becoming closer             to 74B with development. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 66C; towards the base, close to             155D; venation, close to 74A.

Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About two to six at the center of the flower. Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm to 15 mm. Shape: Irregular. Apex: Pointed to rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; crinkled. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 74A; towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 59A; color becoming closer to 74B with development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 66C; towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 74A.

-   -   -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five to seven arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 3 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 8.5 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to outwardly             slanted Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About three. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: Close to 79A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 170A. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm.             Stigma shape: Five to seven-parted. Stigma color: Close to             63B. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 155D.             Ovary color: Close to 138D. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new Ivy             Geranium.

-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy     Geranium plants.

-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Pacamy’ as illustrated and described. 